Re: Tasks versus Job Descriptions. Was: Certification vs Help fr om our members

[Aileen Nelson <AileenN -at- ITGROUP -dot- COM>]

Hi All

I was in Human Resources for 2 years before switching to Writing and
Testing.  I didn't hire a whole lot of tech writers, we hired mostly
developers but the one person that I did, well I was forced into hiring
him.  At the interview, his speech patterns were so bad that I
immediately said "No".  However, they needed someone so they hired him.
He didn't even have the industry knowledge we needed.  The specs he
wrote were the worst I ever worked from.  The other tech writers we had
were down in Minneapolis.  When I got the help files, I started to test
them and was appaled at the language in them.  The girl who wrote them
had taken some technical writer's diploma in college but obviously had
not learned grammar or style.  When I left the company, I offered to
redo them as a part time contract worker. THey haven't taken me up on
that yet but I am still pushing it.  Even the web page was awful. But
from what I can see of the industry, if your resume says "tech writer",
then you must be a tech writer.

A.

-----Original Message-----
From: Bernie McCann [mailto:BernieMc -at- AOL -dot- COM]
Sent: Sunday, August 09, 1998 3:18 PM
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: Tasks versus Job Descriptions. Was: Certification vs Help from
our members


Hi Mary;

In a message dated 98-08-08 16:56:32 EDT, you write:

<<  .... snip, snip ....
 Today, much is expected of a tech writer, and desktop publishing skills
are
 every bit as important as the ability to write well. In fact, I can't
 remember when a job shop called up and asked if I were a good writer.
No,
 they ask if I know Word, Robo-Help, or FrameMaker.
   >>

It strikes me that this is the most important statement in your post.
Perhaps, we need a few human resource people on the List to provide
their
answers to this (I do not mean Communicators who hire - they should know
better).

Quality of documentation will suffer if there aren't any well
thought-out job
descriptions.  Tasks versus Job Descriptions, wouldn't that make a great
debate?    ;-)

Bernie
Seen on a bumper recently:
"My Karma has just run over your dogma"

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